ABOUT

Work-Bench to Bench-Press

Born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Jal moved to NYC in 2009 to pursue a degree in metalsmithing from FIT. Forever a student, she's been learning and practicing traditional metalwork techniques since age 15, and has no intention of stopping anytime soon.

In 2015, she felt the positive impact on her self-worth that picking up a barbell had. With time and diligence, she's grown to appreciate setting goals in all areas of life, and then crushing them. She wanted something gold and tactile to remind her to keep going, regardless of where she was, so she made it. The Benchmark Collection started with a single plate in April of 2017, expanding with a variety of sizes and styles ever since.